The Judgement of Paris
by lella7
Summary: Each of the Black sisters, for their own reasons, attempts to seduce Lucius Malfoy. Loosely based on the Greek myth of the Judgement of Paris. Written for Inkfire's "Rewriting" challenge on xoxLewrahxox's Bellatrix Lestrange forum.


**A/N- Written for Inkfire's "Rewriting" challenge on xoxLewrahxox's Bellatrix Lestrange forum. **

**1,800 words**

The Judgement of Paris

Bellatrix's ears pricked up as she heard the words "your daughters" drifting through the open window of her father's study.

She flattened herself against the wall next to the window and listened intently, beckoning her sisters over with a warning finger on her lips.

"Well of course it would be incredibly beneficial to both our families," they heard Cygnus say in a businesslike tone. Andromeda flashed her elder sister a bored expression and mouthed, "Why are we listening to this?"

However, the next voice they heard immediately drew her attention. The three sisters instantly recognised it as belonging to Abraxas Malfoy, a business associate of their father's, who regularly visited the house, but it was clear the two were not discussing business.

"I am certain Lucius would be very happy to marry one of your delightful daughters, if such a partnership could be arranged," Abraxas said slowly. "And as he is the heir to my entire estate, she would live most comfortably."

"Ah, but which of my daughters, Abraxas?" Cygnus questioned.

"I think we should leave that for Lucius to decide," Abraxas replied and at this Bellatrix and Andromeda exchanged a vaguely repulsed look, at the thought of marriage to a boy younger than them both, and whom they had both decided from the few times they had met him, thought far too highly of himself.

"Whichever he thinks is the most beautiful," Abraxas continued. "I'm sure it will be a rather difficult decision." Bellatrix and Andromeda were still holding each other's gaze, but at these words their expressions changed almost imperceptibly, hardening with just a slight rising of their eyebrows and setting of their identical jaws. They knew each other well enough to recognise the competitive glint in each other's eyes.

ooo

Bellatrix cut her way through the atrium of the Ministry of Magic, heels clapping on the polished wood floor. Her father had been very surprised when she had volunteered to deliver some legal documents to Lucius' office; he was used to having to bribe his eldest daughter very generously before she would do anything remotely helpful for anyone.

Of course, Bellatrix had no intention whatsoever of marrying Lucius Malfoy. The idea of herself with a man over three years her junior was laughable to her. It was almost as ridiculous as the fact that a child such as him, only just out of Hogwarts, had his own office in the Ministry. However, she did rather like the idea of being able to turn him down, leaving Andromeda to marry her leftovers.

She took the lift down to a corridor lined with offices and rapped sharply on Lucius' door, before quickly removing the scarf she had been wearing as a shawl, uncovering her white arms and the low neckline of the dress her father certainly wouldn't have knowingly permitted her to leave the house in.

"Miss Black," Lucius said, in surprise, on opening the door. "What a pleasant surprise." Bellatrix noticed with a smirk of satisfaction that Lucius seemed to be trying very hard to keep his eyes fixed on her face.

"My father asked me to bring you these contracts," she said dismissively, quite sure that Lucius wouldn't hear what she said, as she brushed her whole body past him to enter the room.

It was a small office but Lucius had clearly intended to make it feel imposing. There were no sentimental additions, no photographs or decorations, merely high shelves stacked with leather bound books lining the walls. A high backed chair sat behind a large desk, onto which Bellatrix perched, slowly crossing her legs and dropping the sheaf of parchment uncaringly behind her, eyes fixed on Lucius. He was clearly a man who wanted to appear powerful and so she decided she would use just that to seduce him.

"Thank you, Miss Black," Lucius said, looking slightly confused and uncomfortable.

"Oh, please, call me Bellatrix," she said, a smile stretching over her thin lips. "Our families are on such good terms, these formalities seem unnecessary."

"Of course, Bellatrix. Is there anything else I can do for you?" Lucius asked.

"I was thinking," she began slowly, "that what with our families being on such good terms, perhaps it was time we took things beyond mere friendship."

Lucius' eyebrows shot upwards in shock and Bellatrix slipped off the desk and approached him.

She stopped just inches from him and continued, lowering her voice to a seductive purr.

"Think what we could do together. With our connections and influence combined, you'd be minister in twenty years, maybe fifteen. And we'd make such an attractive couple." She lifted her fingers to his face to brush back a curtain of his flowing, white-blond hair. His face still bore a look of shock and a slight blush had crept up his cheeks, but at this motion he began to lean in towards her.

"Think about it," she whispered, before leaving the room without a backwards glance.

ooo

Andromeda Black was tired of being bested by her elder sister in everything she attempted. As she walked up the long path from its imposing gates to Malfoy Manor, she reflected that, finally, the sisters were competing for something Andromeda could win.

Lucius Malfoy was far closer to her own age, in fact he was only a few months younger than her, and Bellatrix managed to thoroughly intimidate men in their forties. Andromeda could imagine her sister had terrified the poor boy, but she would try a gentler approach and she was confident that with a little intelligent conversation, Lucius would be sure to choose her.

Of course, Andromeda had no intention whatsoever of marrying Lucius Malfoy. Her original motive was of course to finally beat Bellatrix at something, but she had begun to think that a fling with another man might do her some good. Her relationship with Ted Tonks had become far too serious, far too quickly. At first she had thought it was nothing, because it could never actually become anything given Ted's blood status, but within just a few weeks she had begun to think she might not be able to call it off, and that thought was beginning to scare her.

Despite his many, many flaws, there was no doubt that Lucius was attractive, and he might just be able to provide the distraction Andromeda needed to break her away from her foolish, doomed relationship with Ted.

After she had finished speaking to Mrs Malfoy, regarding some trivial excuse she had used for visiting the manor, she "accidentally" bumped into Lucius as he came in from a stroll across the grounds. She had in fact been watching his progress from a window for the past ten minutes.

"Good afternoon, Lucius," she said warmly, her grey eyes flashing, as her face broke into a charming smile.

"Miss Black," he replied, kissing her hand rather pretentiously. "What brings you here?"

"Oh, I was visiting your mother," Andromeda said dismissively, eager to move on lest the flimsy pretence for her visit began to fall apart, "but I have in fact been wishing to speak to you. I wanted to congratulate you on your position in the Ministry. I can't say it surprised me, your grades were certainly good enough."

"Thank you Miss Black, though I seem to remember yours were much the same." Lucius said, inclining his head towards her. "Whilst I would be delighted to spend some time in your company, I'm afraid I really must get back to the Ministry."

"Of course," said Andromeda with a smile, before lifting her eyes to meet his and saying in a very suggestive tone, "We should spend time in each other's company more often. I'm sure there's plenty we could teach each other."

Lucius looked a little puzzled as she swept out of the room.

ooo

Narcissa had long harboured a crush on Lucius Malfoy. He had been in the year above her at school and had always had plenty of female attention, but she had, of course, never lowered herself to fawning over him as other girls had. She had watched from afar and as a result, he had never seemed to notice her.

And now that Bellatrix and Andromeda were fighting over him, for whatever trivial motives they held, it seemed unlikely that he ever would.

Narcissa was therefore delighted when Lucius came to their house with his father one morning, and once Abraxas had disappeared into Cygnus' study, the two of them were left alone.

Narcissa lifted her eyes to smile demurely at him, only to discover that Lucius was gazing at her in a way that could only be described as captivated.

"Miss Black..." he began hesitantly, "may I call you Narcissa?"

"Of course."

Lucius opened his mouth to continue, before closing it again and asking, rather warily, "Your sisters aren't around, are they?"

"They are," Narcissa replied, surprised by this line of questioning, "but they are upstairs somewhere; I doubt they even know you're here."

Lucius looked a little relieved.

"I have been meaning to speak to you for a while, Narcissa, but the right moment just never seemed to come."

Narcissa looked up at him questioningly.

"I think you're the most beautiful girl I have ever set eyes upon."

Narcissa's eyebrows shot up in shock. She had not expected that.

"But Lucius... all the time when we were at school... you never said anything."

"I did not think you were interested."

"Lucius, I..."

"May I kiss you?"

Narcissa bit her lip, struggling to maintain her steely composure. Of course she couldn't kiss him; not here where her parents or sisters could walk in at any moment. And yet, for some reason, she did.

ooo

Lucius gently drew away from Narcissa's soft lips, one hand cupping her pale cheek, the other entwined in her golden hair. He had been waiting so long for this moment, when he could finally see behind Narcissa's perfect, ice-queen façade.

He looked into her pale blue eyes, looking for that tiny hint of laughter he had occasionally caught sight of behind her icy gaze, only to find that her gaze had drifted over his shoulder and her lips had curled upwards into an angelic smile.

Lucius turned to see that Andromeda and Bellatrix had entered the room behind them. Unlike her sisters, Lucius did not yet know Narcissa well enough to recognise the hint of malicious victory in that angelic smile. He was rather more focussed on the expressions on the two older girls' faces. Andromeda looked angry, but more shocked. Bellatrix on the other hand, looked positively livid. Despite how forward she had been in his office at the Ministry, Lucius was a little surprised that the eldest Black sister had felt so strongly about him, and he sincerely hoped she wasn't one to hold a grudge.


End file.
